Heavy police layoffs in plan

Tuesday

Mar 31, 2009 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - City Manager Gordon Palmer will propose unprecedented cuts today to balance the city's teetering general fund, including laying off 43 police officers and greatly reducing community policing, a model that for more than a decade has put officers on routine assignment in some of the city's most dangerous areas.

David Siders

STOCKTON - City Manager Gordon Palmer will propose unprecedented cuts today to balance the city's teetering general fund, including laying off 43 police officers and greatly reducing community policing, a model that for more than a decade has put officers on routine assignment in some of the city's most dangerous areas.

Palmer's proposal would also cancel routine tree trimming citywide and fireworks on the Fourth of July. It would close McKinley Community Center and the municipal camp at Silver Lake and would reduce library hours and services for children.

Palmer is to present the plan to the City Council today. The council is likely to consider adopting it in some form in May or June, before the July 1 start of fiscal 2009-10.

The budget reduction plan could close a deficit that is otherwise expected to reach $31million by June 2010. However, the plan is dependent on Stockton receiving significant aid from the federal government's $787billion economic stimulus package, and $15million in concessions from the city's police and fire unions, Palmer said Monday. Without concessions, 52 additional police officers and 62 firefighters could be laid off, Palmer said.

Stockton Professional Firefighters Local 456 and the Stockton Police Officers Association have conceded or deferred some pay in previous agreements but have balked at additional concessions.

"We are in no way going to make any further concessions," said Fire Capt. Dave Macedo, the union president.

He said that for the city to make certain staffing reductions or close a firehouse would violate a union agreement, and the union would try to block the city in court if it tries.

Palmer said, "We're going to be talking with them about working with us."

Like those of other California cities, Stockton's $183million general fund has been pummeled by decreasing sales and property tax revenue in a faltering economy. Palmer said in his report that the city's projected deficit could grow to $171million by 2014 if it is unable to restructure employee pay and benefits.

The city Friday warned 80 employees, including 45 police officers - two more than Palmer estimated Monday would be laid off - that their jobs may be eliminated.

Palmer's budget proposal anticipated receiving enough in federal stimulus money and labor concessions to require the layoffs of 43 of the department's 403 officers. Even a reduction of that number would require reducing the number of community police officers, bicycle patrols, motorcycle officers and officers in schools, many remaining officers shifting to patrol to handle emergency calls, interim Police Chief Blair Ulring said.

He said the department would not abandon community policing, but added, "You have to have a given number of units available to answer emergency calls."

Ulring said the budget's impact on police will be uncertain until it is known how much Stockton will benefit from a federal stimulus package that includes $1billion for hiring or rehiring officers who would otherwise be laid off.

Citywide, Palmer's proposal would:

» Temporarily close Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium. Palmer said in his report that there is "an excellent chance" the federal stimulus could fund the renovation of a dilapidated and expensive heating and air conditioning system, allowing the facility to reopen in March 2010.

» Modify - and likely reduce - hours at community centers, the Children's Museum of Stockton and Pixie Woods, which is to open for the season Saturday.

» Reduce library branch hours and the purchase of books and materials.

» Outsource maintenance of 49 of 54 parks and eliminate two of the city's three tree crews, using the remaining one only to remove public-safety hazards.

Contact reporter David Siders at (209) 943-8580 or dsiders@recordnet.com.